'No forced labour in our E&E sector'
Kamles KumarPublished: Mar 16, 2015 4:59 AM | Updated: Mar 16, 2015 7:30 AM
Despite Malaysia being placed on the United States labour watch list last December, the government today insisted there was no evidence of any form of child and forced labour in the country’s electrical and electronics (E & E) sector.
“The ministry and other agencies have investigated and checked around 25 electrical and electronic companies and have not found any evidence of forced labour during our preliminary investigations,” International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Hamim Samuri told the Dewan Rakyat today.
Despite Malaysia being placed on the United States labour watch list last December, the government today insisted there was no evidence of any form of child and forced labour in the country’s electrical and electronics (E&E) sector.
“The ministry and other agencies have investigated and checked around 25 electrical and electronic companies and have not found any evidence of forced labour during our preliminary investigations,” International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Hamim Samuri told the Dewan Rakyat today.
In his parliamentary reply to Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Bayan Baru), Hamim said Malaysia still continues to export electronic products to the US as there was no ban in place yet.
"The watch list is not aimed at the banning of any electrical and electronic items from Malaysia but it is to increase awareness of child and forced labour around the world and to encourage cooperation in tackling this problem," Hamim addded.
He said the ministry was working closely with the human resources ministry and other agencies like the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Council (MAPO) and the US Embassy to look into forced labour allegations.
Meanwhile, while acknowledging the negative effects on the E&E industry by being placed on the watch list, Hamim clarified that most of the allegations arose from “something petty” which arose from issues like employers holding on to passports of foreign workers.
He added the ministry also has increased enforcement and coordination between relevant agencies and also had more discussions with the industry to support their efforts of self-regulation via the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct (EICC).
The US Department of Labour (DOL) placed Malaysia on its watch list for child and forced labour last December. The industries that were highlighted in the report are the electronic and the local garment industry.
“The ministry and other agencies have investigated and checked around 25 electrical and electronic companies and have not found any evidence of forced labour during our preliminary investigations,” International Trade and Industry Deputy Minister Hamim Samuri told the Dewan Rakyat today.In his parliamentary reply to Sim Tze Tzin (PKR-Bayan Baru), Hamim said Malaysia still continues to export electronic products to the US as there was no ban in place yet.
"The watch list is not aimed at the banning of any electrical and electronic items from Malaysia but it is to increase awareness of child and forced labour around the world and to encourage cooperation in tackling this problem," Hamim addded.
He said the ministry was working closely with the human resources ministry and other agencies like the Anti-Trafficking in Persons and Anti-Smuggling of Migrants Council (MAPO) and the US Embassy to look into forced labour allegations.
Meanwhile, while acknowledging the negative effects on the E&E industry by being placed on the watch list, Hamim clarified that most of the allegations arose from “something petty” which arose from issues like employers holding on to passports of foreign workers.
He added the ministry also has increased enforcement and coordination between relevant agencies and also had more discussions with the industry to support their efforts of self-regulation via the Electronic Industry Code of Conduct (EICC).
The US Department of Labour (DOL) placed Malaysia on its watch list for child and forced labour last December. The industries that were highlighted in the report are the electronic and the local garment industry.
View Comments0